Echo- Sustainable Living

What I took away most from our field trip to the Echo farm was the idea of using what you have to create what you need.  I found Echo’s ability to overcome challenges to be incredible.  They have to test their seeds/ food so that they can thrive in many different ecosystems.  To do this, they made six different areas to cultivate, harvest, and use its resources to the best of their ability.  These different systems include: Tropical Monsoon, Urban Gardens, Semi-Arid Tropics, Tropical Highlands, Tropical Rain Forest, and Hot Humid Low Lands. These different ecosystems each had their own difficulties to overcome.

 The interns found innovative, sustainable and extremely creative ways to find a multitude of food that can be shipped as seeds, grown in these areas, maintained by tools and techniques (which they provide) and provide education on how to make there food sustainable.  Some of the other things I found to be really interesting was their ability to turn cow manure into gas for cooking and lighting, the sawdust cooker, solar food dryer, and the use of bicycles for power. Echo also incorporated the used of local animals in these areas to help create and sustain their food.  Some of them include: sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, tilapia, and rabbits. They used these animals to help main tain the different ecosystems.  The idea of using what you have to make what you need is what Echo is all about. 

This type of education is necessary to help the poor the hungry and us.  I think the food source around the world is going to continue to decrease and we are going to need to start adapting these types of technology and resources for sustainable living. Having our own backyard of urban gardens would greatly reduce our carbon footprint, allow us to feel closer to nature, and become healthier.  This may also help to have people conduct their lives in a manner that is consistent with sustainability and better respect of humanity’s relationship with the Earth and its ability to take care of us as long as we take care of it.